All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' 6-3 win over the Phillies, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
BOX SCORE
HEADLINES
Streak is over: The Red Sox long, regional nightmare is over. Their 6-3 victory snapped a nine-game losing streak and gave them their first win since the end of their last homestand. In between, the Sox were swept in consecutive four-game series by the Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Yankees before losing the opener of the two-game set with the Phillies. They were threatening to have a 10-game losing streak for the first time since 2014. In the nine games, the Red Sox were outscored by a total of more than two-to-one (86-39) and dropped into the American League East basement. On Wednesday, the Sox overcame an early 2-0 deficit, tying things in the third and then adding as the game went along, right up until the eighth inning. "From top to bottom,'' said reliever Matt Barnes, "this was a good team win and one we very much needed.
Devers back in the swing: The Sox have been waiting for weeks for Devers to take off at the plate and the last two games suggest it might be time. Following up a three-hit night on Tuesday, Devers was right back at it Wednesday, with a two-run homer, a single and a double. In his last three games, he's 7-for-14 with three extra-base hits and four RBI. "No doubt, the timing (at the plate) is definitely better,'' said Ron Roenicke. "He's not chasing way out of the zone. It looks like he's seeing the ball better and not getting as jumpy with his body and just letting those good hands work. He's got to feel good about himself. As we move forward, hopefully, we have him like this for the rest of the year.'' Devers is once again crushing the ball the other way. His double to left showed his typical inside-out swing and when he connected for his second-inning blast into the center field bleachers, there wasn't any doubt -- the exit velocity on the homer was 111 mph, his hardest-hit ball of the season.
Hart shows promise: Kyle Hart's line (3.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 4 BB, 5 K) may not look like much, but it represented a big step forward from last week when he made his major league debut against the Rays. Yes, control was still an issue with four walks, but Hart did a far better job in accomplishing his goal -- attacking the hitters. At one point, he retired five in a row, including three straight strikeouts. Hart got behind a string of hitters in the first, with predictable results, but commanded better and go out in front to put hitters into defensive counts. On the occasions when he couldn't locate the zone -- issuing two walks in the span of three hitters in the third -- he got himself out of the mess, stranding both baserunners. "I've got to clean up the walks, but I felt a lot better today,'' said Hart. "Once I start locating that fastball where I want to, I think I'm going to be right where I want to be.'' And had Christian Vazquez done a better job being more aggressive with a tag at the plate in the first inning, Hart may have allowed just one run.
TURNING POINT
With the Red Sox clinging to a one-run lead in the seventh and the potential tying run on second, reliever Matt Barnes and entered the game and, on nine pitches, struck out the Phillies' two toughest hitters back-t0-back -- Bryce Harper and J.T. Realmuto -- to end the threat.
TWO UP
Alex Verdugo: The outfielder was a ball of energy pre-game, hyping up his teammates in the dugout. He took that same style onto the field, doubling in the fifth and scoring from second on a error at first. He later walked, stole second and rode home on a double.
Austin Brice: After a couple of rough outings in the last week, Brice pitched Wednesday the way he had earlier. He bridged the game from starter Kyle Hart into the middle innings with an inning and a third of perfect relief, including two strikeouts.
ONE DOWN
Tzu-Wei Lin: Lin continued to struggle at the plate, going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts and a double play, his batting average dropping to .130 for the season. But as a player with the reputation as a plus defender, he also committed two throwing errors -- both on routine plays -- while filling in at short for Xander Bogaerts.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"It's amazing how good a win feels.'' Ron Roenicke.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- Alex Verdugo extended his hitting streak to 10 games and now has an extra-base hit in seven straight, the longest streak for a Red Sox player since Dwight Evans in 1982.
- The Red Sox are 1-12 against the Yankees and Rays and 6-6 against all other opponents.
- Jackie Bradley collected his first RBI since July 28.
- Brandon Workman is 4-for-4 in save opportunities this season.